


Building a Friendship

by Fangodess



Category: Rise (TV 2018)
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Coming Out, Gen, getting new friendships, losing friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 21:35:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14481660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangodess/pseuds/Fangodess
Summary: “I think were going to be rather good friends Maashous Evers,” Michael said.





	Building a Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> I'm here to hop on the platonic Michshous fic train so choo choo welcome aboard  
> thank you so much to @askjamessirus on tumblr for helping me edit because my grammar is horrendous

Michael pulled his jacket tighter around himself as he entered school. He could do this. He could just slowly make his and Sasha’s friendship fade away. It would be fine. He didn’t understand this, whatever this was, how could he expect her too? It would just be easier for them both in the end.  
He got to his locker without a hitch, he didn’t even see her in passing. It was while he was at his locker that he had his first encounter with her.  
“Hey,” Sasha said, walking over, holding the straps of her backpack, “Good morning.”  
Michael just grunted in reply, not looking at her, and continued to shove stuff in his locker.  
Sasha’s brow furrowed, “What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing,” He replied, shutting his locker and turning to walk to his first class.  
“Margret,” Sasha said, jogging after him, “Are you sure everything’s okay?”  
“I said I’m fine Sasha,” He snapped, picking up speed.  
Sasha stayed, stunned, where she stood as Michael stormed off to first period.  
***  
“What the hell is going on with you?” Sasha asked, storming up to Michael’s locker.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Michael said, not bothering to look up from his locker as he continued to shove books into his bag.  
“Don’t play stupid with me,” Sasha snapped back, “You won’t answer my texts or calls and you’re clearly avoiding me. So, what is going on? Why won’t you talk to me? Did I do something because I have no clue what, and could you please tell me what I did.”  
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Michael replied, shrugging her off.  
“You know what,” Sasha said, “If you want to talk to me, you know where to talk to me,” she said, storming away from him.  
***  
Michael had begun sitting alone after he pushed Sasha away. One day a boy approached his table and hesitantly waved at him, “You’re Margret, right? We… um we have history together. I’m Maashous. I’m new here. Do you mind if I sit here?”  
Michael shrugged and the boy, Maashous, put his tray down and sat down across from him.  
“So, what did you think of Mr. Malcolm’s test?” Maashous asked.  
“It was alright,” Michael said, shrugging and not looking up.  
“Yeah, we had already covered that in the last school I was in so it was pretty easy for me. In most classes I feel super behind. I always hate switching mid-year it makes me feel off and I’m always scrambling to catch up,” Maashous rambled, “Sorry I’m told I ramble when I’m nervous. I’m also told it can be rather annoying, so you can just like cut me off and tell me to shut up,” he said, looking more anxious the more he spoke.  
Michael smiled, sitting up straighter. “No, it’s fine. So, why do you switch schools mid-year so much?”  
“Oh,” Maashous replied, looking surprised, as if no one had bothered to ask before. “I’m a foster kid. I don’t stay in one place long,” he added, shrugging, “I’ll probably finish the school year here, if I’m lucky, but I probably won’t be here much longer after that, unless they move me homes in the same district.”  
“You really move around that often?” Michael asked, “That must be awful.”  
“It’s fine,” Maashous mumbled, taking a bite of his apple, “You get used to it. Don’t get attached easily, never get too settled into one place. It gets easier with time I guess.”  
“Oh,” Michael said, unsure how to respond, “Still, it must suck making friends and then having to leave them.”  
Maashous’s brow furrowed and he replied, “I mean I guess. I don’t normally make friends, people don’t talk to the new kid, and I don’t stick around long enough to not be the new kid.”  
“I’ll be your friend,” Michael said.  
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I mean, I don’t want some pity friend,” He laughed.  
“Oh Maashous,” he said before staring at him for a minute, looking confused.  
Maashous laughed, “Why are you looking at me like that?”  
“I’m trying to remember your last name.”  
“Evers,” Maashous replied, with a laugh.  
“Oh, Maashous Evers,” He said, pointing to himself, “I do not do pity friends,” Michael continued, smiling and holding out his hand, “Now take my hand and shake it so we can become best friends.”  
“I don’t think this is how it works,” Maashous replied, smiling.  
“Shh,” Michael said, “Just shake my hand. Come on I could use a friend too. Please don’t make me beg, desperate is not a good look on me.”  
Maashous laughed and took Michael’s hand, “I suppose if you insist.”  
“I think we’re going to be rather good friends Maashous Evers,” Michael said.  
“I could not agree more Margret,” Maashous replicated the face he had made earlier.  
“Hallowell,” he laughed, “and don’t mock me,” he said, swatting at Maashous’s arm before returning to his lunch with a smile.  
***  
“Maashous I have to tell you something,” Michael said, one day while they’re doing homework at his house.  
Maashous set the book he was studying aside and propped himself up on his elbows, “What is it?”  
“I… um… so for a while I’ve been thinking about something and I wanted to start telling people and… I… um… I think, no I know, I’m… um… I’m a boy, Maashous,” Michael stuttered, unable to look up at Maashous.  
“Oh okay,” Maashous said, “Is that all?”  
“You don’t care?” Michael asked, looking up.  
“No, of course not,” Maashous replied, “So, do you have like uh a new name or…”  
“Michael,” he laughed nervously.  
“You look more like an Evan to me,” Maashous said, wrinkling his nose.  
“Oh,” Michael said, looking concerned.  
“Michael,” Maashous laughed, “I’m kidding.”  
“Oh,” Michael said, laughing nervously, “Oh okay,” he said, laughing harder, “Sorry that was really nerve racking.”  
“Well I’m glad you told me,” Maashous said, “Does anyone else know?”  
“No,” Michael replied.  
“Not even…”  
“We aren’t talking,” Michael stated, looking anxious.  
“Yeah but she was your best friend,” Maashous said.  
“It felt easier to come out to you,” Michael said, “I’ve only known you for a little while so you don’t have this whole version of me you’ve been making since childhood. She does. It just feels too hard.”  
“So, you’re never going to tell her?” Maashous asks.  
“I don’t know? Maybe? Can you just drop it? I don’t want to talk about her right now,” Michael mumbled, fiddling with his sleeves.  
“Okay,” Maashous said, “If you don’t want to talk about her we don’t have to talk about her.”  
“Thank you,” Michael replied, quietly.  
“Of course.” Maashous went back to studying.  
***  
“Did you know they needed boys for the show?” Maashous said casually one day as they are laying on Michael’s bed.  
“You going to try out?” Michael asked.  
“Nah, I’m more of a tech person,” Maashous stated, throwing a ball up in the air and catching it, “I’m not much of a singer.”  
“Please Maashous, I’ve heard you sing, you’re an amazing singer,” Michael replied, rolling his eyes.  
“Doesn’t mean I do it often,” Maashous responded, “Besides I wasn’t thinking about me for the musical.”  
“Who were you thinking about? Sundeep probably wouldn’t want too, you have some secret friend you weren’t telling me about?” Michael asked, laughing.  
“I was actually thinking about you,” Maashous answered, propping himself up on his elbows.  
“Me?!” he yelped, “I don’t know if I’d be ready for that. I mean I just came out to my family and I don’t know how people at school would react and…”  
“I’m just saying think about it,” Maashous said, holding out his hand to stop Michael’s rambling, “I could talk to Mr. Mazzu so you wouldn’t have to worry about that. Unless you wanted to then of course you could. I was just saying if you wanted to try out as Michael without having to explain I could do it. I don’t know. Just promise me you’ll think about it?”  
“Yeah fine. I’ll think about it but no promises,” Michael said.  
“That’s all I’m saying,” Maashous replied, laying back down.  
***  
“You’ll tell him for me?” Michael asked, shifting nervously next to Maashous’s locker.  
“Tell who what?” Maashous asked, turning to him.  
“Mr. Mazzu and you know what,” Michael replied, dropping his voice.  
“Oh yeah, of course if you want me too,” Maashous said, shutting his locker.  
“Can you?” Michael asked, “I think I want to do it. You said the show needed boys and…”  
“Of course,” Maashous said, “You’re sure? I wasn’t trying to pressure you to come out. If you’re not ready that’s 100% understandable.”  
“No, no.” Michael shook his head. “I want to. I’m just nervous.”  
“Well of course you are,” Maashous said, “That’s normal but I’m proud of you for doing this. It took a lot of courage.” He hugged him and quickly pulling away.  
Michael blushed, waving his hand, “Yeah, yeah.” The bell rang, “We should get to class.”  
“Yeah probably,” Maashous said, waving to him, “See you later,” before turning and going off in the direction of his class. Michael walked off to chorus feeling like he was walking on a cloud. Six months ago, he never even thought he would come out in high school, let alone be able to play a boy in the school musical. This was who he always wanted to be, and he finally got to do it. He couldn’t be happier.


End file.
